Setting goals at the start of a new year is so cliché and honestly, I roll my eyes at them. With that said, here’s my goals for 2019!

The last time I posted was September 3, 2017. That’s a long time between posts and man, do I miss blogging. Considering all the ups and downs of 2018, I’m just going to skip last year and start fresh with 2019.

It’s really easy to get sidetracked anymore and push off writing. It’s also easy to make excuses for not writing and just say “I’ll do it tomorrow” or “I’ll do it on the weekend”.

I know, I’ve done that many, many times in the past 15 months since my last post.

So, I’ve decided to make a little online checklist for myself which I’ll then revisit at the end of the year to see if any of the goals I set were reached.

In no particular order:

Post more. Ideally, I’d like to post about 2x-3x a week. Realistically, it might be 1x one week, 4x another. So I’m setting a goal of at least 8 posts per month, more with time permitting.

Write more. This is in addition to posting to the site; I really need to get back into writing that Great American Novel that I keep putting off. Hell, I might even share snippets here if anyone is interested.

Become better organized. I used to be great at remembering everything without writing it down. Now that I’m older and <ahem> wiser, well, jotting down my thoughts doesn’t seem like a bad idea.

Photograph more. It’s been close to 18 months since I last used my camera for anything (cell phone doesn’t count). When you spend $700+ on a decent DSLR camera and lenses, it’s probably best to put them to good use instead of letting them collect dust.

That should be about it for now. I may add to this in the future if I can think of anything else. Right now, the focus is on simplicity and being realistic.

As I said before when I posted about our trip to Fort Macon State Park, I love history and love visiting historical marks whenever possible, wherever I am.

USS North Carolina Battleship is no exception, and I was lucky enough to be able to take the kids with us and watch them learn and experience the history firsthand.

Moored in quiet dignity and majesty the Battleship NORTH CAROLINA, across the river from downtown Wilmington, beckons visitors to walk her decks. Envision the daily life and fierce combat her crew faced in the Pacific Theatre during World War II.

From all across our Nation they came, young men who had grown up in the crucible of the Great Depression and now determined to serve their Country in its time of need. These are the men whose stories you will encounter through their oral histories, photographs, and mementos as you experience the Ship and the exhibits.

This is a self-guided tour, which is perfect for those that wish to take in everything this historical monument has to offer. It’s recommended to set aside 2 hours for this, but I believe we were there for just over 3 hours, and I still feel like we rushed it.

There is a fee for this, so be sure to check the website for the latest information. It’s fairly inexpensive though.

The kids did enjoy this and I’m sure they wouldn’t mind going back sometime in the future.

I still find North Carolina history more fascinating that Ohio history, but I’m probably biased due to being raised in the south.

Photo Gallery

Once a racetrack for the Lucas County fairgrounds, Ned Skeldon Stadium originally opened as Lucas County Stadium to bring the Mud Hens baseball team back to life.

For 37 seasons (1965 – 2001), Ned Skeldon Stadium was home of the Toledo Mud Hens minor league baseball team, based in Maumee, Ohio. The Mud Hens are part of the International League and are affiliated with the Detroit Tigers.

Honestly, it couldn’t have been a better day; unless, of course, the temps were a little warmer than 55°F. It didn’t help that the cool air from Lake Erie was gently blowing, but that didn’t stop me from getting a few pics before we left.